How are there teams/teammates in NASCAR? The answer that I didn't come up with

So recently my bff Evan tweeted "How are there teams/teammates in NASCAR?" Obviously his point is that NASCAR is not really a sport, and nothing involved has any form of what we define as a "team."

I used to think the same thing, that was until I came across the most brilliant answer ever. I used to write sports articles for a website called Bleacher Report. I compiled a list of the top 10 teams of the year (2008 I believe). Of course I did not include Jimmie Johnsons' NASCAR team, who won their third straight championship.

A man commented on my article asking "The #48 Lowes Chevrolet team that won it's 3rd consecutive championship...only the second team to do so in 60 years."

I replied "Ehh, auto sports are not really sports."

This, my friends, is where I got served.

Here is his response:

"Regardless of the veracity of your declaration that Auto Racing is not a 'sport', I am speaking of the 'TEAMS' that put the cars on the tracks and keep them there. Those are athletes.

It's well known that the crews that transport and service these cars are recruited from college and professional sports for there strength, stamina and speed in pitting a race car. Sports Illustrated did quite an extensive expose' a few years back on this.

In NASCAR for example, 7 crew members add 2 - 12 gallon tanks of fuel, 4 tires, adjust suspensions, clean debris, pull windshield tearoffs, adjust spoilers and spliters...in 14 seconds. Each crew member has 2-4 jobs to do in that 14 seconds...10 to 15 times per 500 mile race.

If you've ever lifted your spare tire, multiply that by 4. Gas can for your mower? Try 35 pounds of gas twice.

Pre-race and post-race, that same team moves approximately 2 TONS of equipment, parts, electronics and gear and they only have a very few hours to accomplish that.

Your ignorance of anything outside your tiny field of vision is discouraging but I suppose as you mature you 'hindsight' well be perfected."


Now I did not feel embarrassed, I felt educated. So I felt it necessary to educate my bff as well....and yes, be able to catch a small piece of what LJ felt when he burned me 2 years ago...

In case any of you were wondering me and this particular individual would proceed to share a friendship for our remaining time on the website, in fact, as teammates, we spearheaded the final push to save the website from the seeds of it's own destruction that led to it selling out.

I don't really consider NASCAR racers athletes. As much as they have the best hand to eye coordination out there, it still lacks effort as a sport to me. Although this may be debatable, it's just my personal opinion.

I completely agree with what you said David. The NASCAR racers may not be athletes, but there's no denying that the pit crew are some very conditioned fellows, I mean 2 Tons is a lot of equipment.

You can argue whether they are athletes or not, but that will always return to the argument of "what is an athlete?"

The point I was making was that, clearly, a NASCAR pit crew and driver combined, are indeed a team.

What I do know of the drivers...is that they are staying focused for 3 straight hours in the blazing heat.

Oh I completely understand the pit crew as being a "team" and I whole heartily respect those men cause they do a damn fine job. However what I meant in my tweet was how there were 2 drivers, one was in first and the other was in second. The commentators kept going on how these "teammates" were in the lead together. Pretty much like Will Farrell and John C. Reilly in Talladega Nights.

I love how after she hits the ground, she skids for like 15 feet and her weave falls out.

LMFAO!!! I cracked up when I saw that weave just slide down under her.

She got nowhere. Like maybe 2 feet. Then she slid 10 feet, lulz.